Kids & Family — The Happiest Home

6 ways to make getting out of the house with kids simple, spontaneous, and fun.

by Meagan Francis on July 31, 2014

Every now and then I like to look through the archives to see what was going on in my world around this time in previous years. Here’s a post I originally wrote in 2011. I loved this glimpse into my summer three years ago – and these adorable pics! – and am still 100% behind the message of this post! Enjoy.

A few weeks ago my family and I drove up to Grand Haven, Michigan and decided to check out Rosy Mound Natural Area. We figured the water would be within easy walking distance of the car and thought we’d just make a quick stop before heading into the downtown area with the more popular beach. [click to continue…]

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Make Your Vacation Easier: Pack Less Than You Think You Need

by Meagan Francis July 29, 2014

This post is part of our Summer Shortcuts series. Sarah and I are taking turns all summer long sharing little “cheats” and ways we give ourselves a break during the summer months. Enjoy! -Meagan Yes, you read that right. Another clothing-based Summer Shortcuts post. It makes sense, though, doesn’t it? No matter how much more relaxed your summer schedule might […]

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Help! My Kids Are Driving Me Crazy!

by Sarah Powers July 25, 2014

Happy Friday, all! Since it’s the middle of summer and the end of a long, hot week for many around the country, we thought we’d revisit this post Sarah wrote last year. Have a wonderful weekend! – Meagan & Sarah Here in Arizona, we’re on spring break. Only one of my three kids goes to […]

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Family is everything.

by Meagan Francis July 20, 2014

Friday morning, the seven of us piled into the Yukon and began our drive east from Michigan to Buffalo, NY, to visit Jon’s extended family. The trip was slow-going. We stopped on our way out of town for an apparently-essential pre-road trip car wash (is this a dad thing?) then had to make two “emergency” bathroom stops […]

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Make Summer Snacking Easy: Put The Kids In Charge (With Limits)

by Meagan Francis July 13, 2014

This post is part of our Summer Shortcuts series. Sarah and I are taking turns all summer long sharing little “cheats” and ways we give ourselves a break during the summer months. Enjoy! -Meagan I’ve often marveled how, during the school year, my kids are readily able to survive the 8 hours between breakfast and the final school bell with just […]

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On celebrating marriage over anniversaries

by Meagan Francis July 13, 2014

On Friday afternoon, Jon and I headed into Chicago to hang out with some friends of ours who were coming in from L.A. We had a low-key evening and weekend planned: dinner out, staying over Friday, then heading back for the usual Saturday and Sunday stuff: getting the house cleaned up, hanging out with the kids. […]

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15 Read-Aloud Chapter Books That Kids & Grownups Love

by Sarah Powers July 11, 2014

by Sarah Powers In our house, bedtime stories come in the form of a chapter book read aloud to the older two kids, ages 6 and 4. Last year we went on a big Magic Tree House series kick, which made choosing the next book easy since there are approximately 4837 in the series. We were […]

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Giveaway! Mini Micro 3-in-1: A Scooter That Grows With Your Child

by Sarah Powers July 9, 2014

UPDATE! Congrats to reader Livivua on winning the Mini Micro 3-in-1, and thanks to all who entered! Thanks to Micro Kickboard for providing me with a scooter for review. All opinions expressed here are my own. -Sarah I am an oldest child: responsible, independent, a rule-follower, and rather fond of predictability. (Just ask Meagan, a […]

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Give Yourself A Break This Summer: Buy Two Of Everything

by Sarah Powers July 7, 2014

This post is part of our Summer Shortcuts series. Meagan and I are taking turns all summer long sharing little “cheats” and ways we give ourselves a break during the summer months. Enjoy! -Sarah Are you an over-buyer or an under-buyer? (If you’re not sure, I think Gretchen Rubin’s quiz is fun and totally insightful.) I am definitely an […]

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Want To Help Your Teens “Just Say No”? Give Them A Script.

by Meagan Francis June 26, 2014

When I was a teenager, I – as many teens do – had a serious case of Invincibility Syndrome. I wasn’t scared of much, and usually thought that getting hurt or in trouble was for other people, not me. But there was one thing that terrified me then, and still does: bad driving. Fast driving, reckless driving, […]

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